In this podcast, Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner revisits 10 standout episodes from this year, featuring voices reflecting on the past year and looking ahead. To listen to full episodes of The Motley Fool’s podcasts, visit the podcast center. For investing advice, check out the top 10 stocks to buy now. Analysts reveal the 10 best stocks to buy, with Stock Advisor’s total average return at 991%, outperforming the S&P 500. Join Stock Advisor for access to these stocks. David Gardner’s Besties of 2025 podcast reflects on the year’s top episodes, starting with “A Fool for Life” featuring producer Rick Engdahl. Rick’s reflections on investing, business, and life are highlighted. Rick Engdahl joins David Gardner on the Rule Breaker Investing podcast for a special episode to celebrate a decade of podcasting together. Engdahl shares reflections on the past six months and predicts that Team USA will reach the World Cup semifinals in 2026. He also discusses the rise of drone-style air taxis and his investment in Joby, a leader in electric vertical takeoff and landing technology. The conversation touches on futuristic transportation possibilities and the potential impact of major global events like the Olympics or World Cup on innovation. In a recent episode of Rule Breaker Investing, David Gardner talks about the best moments of the podcast in 2025. The episode “Three Fools with Morgan Housel and Randy Zuckerberg” stood out for its discussion on storytelling and how it shapes decisions and careers. Randy reflects on her achievements in 2025, including completing a 250-mile ultramarathon and breaking a course record in a 100-mile race. Morgan Housel discusses the obsession with finding bubbles in the investing world and how it has impacted the market over the past two decades. The conversation highlights the importance of narratives in investing and decision-making. The first news item discusses the common belief that rapid growth is unsustainable. The article highlights the tendency to focus on the potential downfall of great technologies rather than celebrating their success. The second news item delves into personal finance, reflecting on the value of saving and investing at a young age. The importance of building good habits early on is emphasized, with the example of how small investments made in youth can lead to significant financial skills later in life. Lastly, a prediction or wish for the year 2026 is shared, suggesting that the current era of political discord and lack of cooperation could potentially be seen as a turning point towards greater civility in the future. In a podcast, David Gardner and Morgan Housel discuss the negative discourse and extreme beliefs in today’s society, wishing for a generational bottom. Randi Zuckerberg shares personal goals for merging professional and personal interests in endurance sports, emphasizing the need for more research on women’s longevity and endurance. The trio looks forward to 2026 with optimism and a focus on staying aligned with personal passions. David Gardner reflects on the success of the Ten Years Later podcast series, highlighting the importance of revisiting stock predictions and learning from past outcomes to make informed decisions for the future. Last year’s Besties podcast episode showcased the success of consistently picking and buying Rule Breakers, highlighting the importance of losing in investing. The new 10 Years Later series revisits and reflects on stock picks over a decade, offering valuable lessons and perspective. The second episode featured author Sam Horn discussing the importance of humor and communication in difficult conversations, earning a Bestie for practical wisdom and usable scripts. Horn emphasized the power of humor in defusing tension and shared a humorous airport encounter to illustrate this point. Sam Horn discusses the power of humor in diffusing tension and improving human relations, emphasizing the importance of laughter in making difficult conversations easier. She hopes to replace information overload with insightful and humorous content to increase engagement and likability. David Gardner and Sam Horn share insights on how humor can improve communication and make complex topics more approachable. The conversation highlights the need to infuse content with laughter and real-life examples to enhance understanding and retention. The duo also discusses the impact of humor in professional settings, such as TEDx talks, and how it can make information more relatable and memorable. Shirzad Chamine returns to share insights on positive intelligence, emphasizing its relevance in today’s fast-paced, stressful world. He highlights the importance of shifting from saboteur to Sage and the power of the PQ channel. The conversation touches on remote work effectiveness and building global relationships. Shirzad recounts a CEO’s success using mental fitness methods for public speaking and a woman’s natural childbirth using Positive Intelligence techniques. The anecdotes illustrate the transformative impact of self-mastery and the potential for personal growth through developing self-command over the mind. Shirzad Chamine discusses the power of positive intelligence in developing self-control over the mind and achieving transformation. A recent example of self-command is showcased by NFL quarterback Philip Rivers, who made a comeback at age 44. Chamine emphasizes the importance of focusing on love rather than fear in 2026, maximizing positive outcomes and bringing out the best in oneself and others. The conversation highlights the significance of revisiting old ideas, as seen in the Blast from the Past Volume 11 Character episode. In a recent podcast episode, the importance of character and practical life principles were discussed, emphasizing the value of friendship, accepting responsibility, and judging ourselves by results while extending grace to others. The episode aimed to offer valuable insights for living a fulfilling life. Meanwhile, Wimbledon champion Sam Verbeek shared his inspiring story in another episode, highlighting the significance of patience, preparation, and persistence in achieving success. Sam’s journey from almost missing a match to winning Wimbledon showcased the power of long-term commitment and discipline, connecting elite athletics with investing lessons. The episode earned Sam his second Bestie award, recognizing his remarkable achievements on and off the court. Sam Verbek, elite athlete, discusses importance of mental training and decision-making skills in sports and life. Verbek nominated for Athlete of the Year in Amsterdam, encourages votes for the title. David Gardner supports Verbek’s nomination, urges Motley Fool members to vote. Verbek shares wish for luck and success for all in 2026. Verbek and Gardner discuss financial freedom achievements of Rule Breaker Investing listeners in annual tradition. Small, intentional actions taken by community members highlighted as steps towards financial independence. In a recent episode of Rule Breaker Investing, the Motley Fool celebrated financial freedom and progress, emphasizing the importance of sharing success with others. Market Cap Mads World Championships featured Andy Cross and Emily Flippen, showcasing investing wisdom and humor. Emily and Andy shared tips for playing the Market Cap Game Show, including using a 90% confidence interval and comparing market caps to industry leaders. The episode highlighted the value of learning, laughter, and community engagement in investing. Congratulations to Emily and Andy for their success in the championship! In a discussion about predictions and wishes for 2026, Andy Cross predicts a resurgence for Exxon and emphasizes the importance of long-term investing over prediction bets. Emily Flippen reflects on the impact of consumerism and attention on businesses, hoping for companies that respect consumer attention to succeed in the future. David Gardner praises their insights and announces the winners of the Market Cap Madness competition. The Bestie award for Authors in August, Rulebreaker Investing with David Gardner and Chris Hill, is given for an insightful and engaging episode that highlighted the importance of clarity in investing discussions. Chris Hill, the guest host, is praised for his knowledge and humor in the episode. Chris Hill and David Gardner reflect on their recent podcast collaboration, highlighting the trust and freedom David gave Chris to host the show without any preconditions. David expresses appreciation for Chris’s unique approach to hosting podcasts, mentioning his own experience on Money Unplugged. They discuss the impact of comparison in life and investing, sharing insights from guests and personal experiences. The conversation transitions to a story about Kurt Vonnegut and Joseph Heller, emphasizing the importance of having “enough” in a world filled with comparisons. They conclude by reflecting on the unexpected market performance in 2025 and the theme of comparison during the holiday season. David Gardner expresses gratitude to his podcast guests and new producer Bart Shannon, thanking listeners for their support and engagement in 2025. He emphasizes the value of learning and fun in the podcast, with a focus on timely and timeless content. In stock news, Gardner holds positions in Archer Aviation, Emily Flippen in Axon Enterprise and Peloton Interactive, while Morgan Housel has no positions in mentioned stocks. The Motley Fool recommends Viking Therapeutics and has a disclosure policy in place. The author’s views are independent and may not align with Nasdaq, Inc.

Read more at 1. “Tesla announces record-breaking delivery numbers for third quarter.” – CNBC

2. “Apple unveils new iPhone with improved camera and longer battery life.” – Wall Street Journal

3. “Unemployment rate drops to 5.2% in latest Labor Department report.” – Reuters

4. “Amazon Prime Day sales surpass $10 billion, setting new record.” – CBS MarketWatch

5. “Facebook faces antitrust probe from Federal Trade Commission.” – Barchart: The Motley Fool Rule Breakers Besties of 2025